Pregnancy and Pre-existing Heart Disease

What is pre-existing heart disease?

Pre-existing heart disease is a heart problem that you had before you got pregnant. This usually means a heart condition that you were born with (congenital). These can include heart problems that may have been fixed. It can also include heart valve issues.

Common heart issues that may be affected by pregnancy include:

Mitral stenosis

Atrial septal defect

Ventricular septal defect

Aortic stenosis

Mitral valve prolapse

What causes pre-existing heart disease?

Most heart problems you’re born with happen by chance. No one knows what causes them. A heart valve problem may come on after an infection or other health condition.

Even if your heart disease doesn’t cause symptoms or hasn’t affected your life, it can cause issues during pregnancy. This is because of changes in your body that happen when you’re pregnant.

Starting in your first trimester, your blood volume rises by about half. The extra fluid makes your heart work harder. Your heart responds by increasing its cardiac output. This is the amount of blood that goes through your circulatory system in 1 minute. Other systems in your body also respond. Your blood pressure decreases to allow the extra blood volume to flow.

Changes in your heart and vascular system can also happen during labor and delivery. Large amounts of blood move from your uterus into your circulation, as your uterus contracts. This causes changes in your blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output. If you get an epidural or spinal anesthesia, this can also cause your blood pressure to decrease.

What are the symptoms of heart disease?

Most women with a pre-existing heart issue have been diagnosed and treated before pregnancy. Some women with minor heart problems may not know that they have a heart issue. These women, and women with repaired heart conditions, may develop symptoms during pregnancy.

The following are common symptoms of heart disease. Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each pregnancy. They may include:

Trouble breathing, especially at night or when you’re not active

Not being able to do normal activities, because of weakness or fatigue

Lightheadedness or fainting

Irregular heart rate (palpitations)

Blue skin coloring because of low levels of oxygen in your blood (cyanosis)

The symptoms of heart disease may look like symptoms of other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

Diagnosing heart disease in pregnancy

Heart problems are a possible complication in pregnancy. They happen in about 1 in 100 pregnancies.

Diagnosing a heart issue in pregnancy can be tricky. This is because some of the normal symptoms of pregnancy look like symptoms of heart disease.

Your healthcare provider will ask about your health history. He or she will also give you an exam. You may also need the following tests:

Electrocardiogram (ECG). This test notes the electrical activity of your heart. It also shows abnormal heart rhythms and looks for heart muscle damage.

Echocardiography. This test looks at the structure and function of your heart. It uses sound waves recorded on an electronic sensor. These show a moving picture of your heart and heart valves.

How is pregnancy and pre-existing heart disease treated?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, pregnancy, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

Your healthcare provider will look at the risk that your heart disease may have on your pregnancy. You may need to see a high-risk obstetrician. You may also need to see a heart doctor (cardiologist) who specializes in congenital heart disease.

You may need to see your healthcare provider more often. This is so he or she can watch you and your baby. You may also need medicine to help your heart work better.

Your healthcare team will decide the safest way for you to have your baby. You may give birth vaginally or you may need to have a cesarean section. During labor, you may need to have your heart monitored continuously.

What are the complications of pregnancy and pre-existing heart disease?

Normal changes in pregnancy may cause problems if you have heart disease. Your healthcare provider will watch you closely to make sure you and your baby stay healthy.

If you have a congenital heart defect, there’s a chance your baby will also have a heart issue. It may not be the same heart problem you have. You’ll likely need high-risk prenatal monitoring.

Living with pre-existing heart disease

Congenital heart disease is a life-long condition. Most of the time, your heart defect is fixed in childhood. Other times, you may not have symptoms for many years.

But pregnancy causes changes that can cause problems for women with heart disease. Before you get pregnant, you should consider preconception counseling. A specialist with experience in pregnancy and heart disease can help you. This can help you make choices about pregnancy. It can also help you learn how to maintain or improve your health.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider if your heart symptoms get worse. You should also call him or her if you have any new symptoms.

Key points about pregnancy and pre-existing heart disease

Pre-existing heart disease is a heart problem that you had before you got pregnant.

Even if your heart disease doesn’t cause symptoms or hasn’t affected your life, it can cause issues during pregnancy. This is because of changes in your body that happen when you’re pregnant.

Before you get pregnant, you should consider preconception counseling. A specialist with experience in pregnancy and heart disease can help you.

You may need to see a high-risk obstetrician. You may also need to see a heart doctor (cardiologist) who specializes in congenital heart disease.

Your healthcare provider will watch you closely to make sure you and your baby stay healthy.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.

Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.

Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.

At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.

Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.

Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.

Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.

Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.

If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.